Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is set to make his return to football management with German champions Bayer Leverkusen, according to reliable transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

The Dutch tactician, who has been without a job since his dismissal from Manchester United in November, is reportedly in advanced negotiations to replace Xabi Alonso, who will be leaving Leverkusen to join Real Madrid this summer.

Romano revealed on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) account: "Bayer Leverkusen made progress in talks with Erik ten Hag to become their new head coach. Ten Hag has given his total availability after direct contact taking place earlier this week."

Ten Hag's potential appointment comes after he was recently linked with a return to his former club Ajax. The Amsterdam giants reportedly approached the 54-year-old following Francesco Farioli's unexpected departure due to "disagreements" with the club's board.

Ajax's Technical Director Alex Kroes confirmed discussions with Ten Hag last weekend but declined to provide further details on the outcome of those talks.

If the move to Leverkusen materializes, Ten Hag will take over a team that made history under Alonso's leadership, winning their first-ever Bundesliga title in the 2023/24 season while going unbeaten in the league.

The appointment would represent a significant opportunity for Ten Hag to rebuild his reputation following a challenging tenure at Manchester United, where he won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup but struggled to achieve consistent results in the Premier League.